The wars wreaking havoc in the Democratic Republic of Congo have killed over 5 million people since 1996, and although a peace treaty was signed in 2002, approximately 45,000 people die every month from conflict-related causes, such as hunger and disease. Congo suffers significantly more deaths than Sudan, but the Darfur crisis continues to receive more coverage. The Darfur massacres are proof that Congo is not being overlooked because of racial discrimination or inaccessibility. Some journalists believe that Darfur receives more coverage because of its assumed status as a genocide, as well as its threat to American interests. On the other hand, the Congo is often ignored, because it benefits multinational corporations, which sell the country’s resources of gold, diamonds, and other minerals. The media is aware of this lack of attention and often discusses it, but this practice should not be a substitute for actual, in-depth coverage.
“Congo Ignored, Not Forgotten: When 5 million dead aren’t worth two stories a year,” Julie Hollar, Extra!, 5/09
HYPERLINK http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3777
“Congo: An African country that’s broken,” Betsy Pisik, The Washington Times, 9/08/09 http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/8/congo-african-country-thats-broken/
Student researcher: Alyssa Jarrett, CSU Fresno
Faculty evaluator: Malik Simba, PhD, CSU Fresno